Public Act 096-0810
 		





HB0746 Enrolled
LRB096 04731 DRJ 14794 b






    AN ACT concerning public aid.

 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:




 
    Section 5. The Disabilities Services Act of 2003 is amended  
by adding the heading of Article IV and Section 60 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 2407/Art. IV heading new)
ARTICLE IV.  RAPID REINTEGRATION PILOT PROGRAM

 
    (20 ILCS 2407/60  new)
    Sec. 60. Rapid Reintegration Pilot Program.
    (a) The Department of Human Services shall operate a Rapid 
Reintegration Pilot Program. The purpose of the pilot program 
is to demonstrate that, with appropriate support and services, 
individuals with physical disabilities and individuals with 
mental illness who need a short-term placement of 6 months or 
less in a nursing facility can successfully  return to the 
community without experiencing unnecessary 
institutionalization. The initial pilot program sites shall be 
those initiated or operated by the Department in Fiscal Year 
2009. The pilot program may be expanded to other sites as 
funding becomes available for that purpose.
    (b) The Department of Human Services shall secure the 
cooperation of hospitals in the geographic areas served by the 
pilot program so that hospitals will coordinate with the 
Service Coordination Agencies and the Home Services Program to 
verify whether the individual is expected to have a short-term 
stay of 6 months or less in a nursing facility upon discharge 
from the hospital.
    (c) The Service Coordination Agencies and the Home Services 
Program in the pilot areas shall make an initial assessment and 
a post-admission assessment to ascertain whether an individual 
needs a nursing facility level of care and whether the 
individual is expected to be in the nursing facility for a 
short-term stay of 6 months or  less.
    (d) The Service Coordination Agencies and the Home  Services 
Program shall make necessary and appropriate efforts to 
reintegrate any individual  who is found to need nursing 
facility level of care and is expected to be in a nursing home 
for a short-term stay of 6 months or less, including 
collaboration with local service providers, such as centers for 
independent living and community mental health agencies.
    (e) If an individual who, through the pilot program, has 
been identified as needing a short-term stay of 6 months or 
less is admitted to a nursing facility, the individual shall be 
assessed for eligibility for an enhanced Community Home 
Maintenance Allowance to allow the individual to retain income 
for a period of up to 6 months in order to retain his or her 
home.
    (f) The  pilot program  shall operate for not less than 3 
years after the effective  date of this  amendatory Act of the 
96th General Assembly.  The Department of Human Services shall 
assess the effectiveness of the pilot program in  preventing the 
unnecessary institutionalization of individuals with  physical 
disabilities or mental illness and allowing  them to 
successfully return to  their pre-admission living 
arrangements.
    (g) The pilot program established under this Article shall 
not apply to facilities that qualify under federal law as 
institutions for mental disease. 
 

    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.